GB1192398A - Relief Moulding of Fibrous Pulp Webs - Google Patents

Abstract

1,192,398. Embossing. K. HANKE. 7 Aug., 1967, No. 36203/67. Heading B6J. [Also in Divisions B8, D1 and D2] A web of fibrous pulp, still wet from a production process, is relief-moulded, by feeding it between a moving mould and an elastically flexible moving countermould. The surface of the countermould is a two-phase material comprising a matrix and inclusions of a substance more flexible than the matrix, each zone of included substance being separated from the others by the matrix. As shown, a web 1 of paper pulp, still wet from previous processing, is fed on to a roller 3a on which it lies slack and carried through the nip of this roller and another roller 4a. The surface of the roller 4a is of elastieally flexible material, e.g. neoprene, containing gas-filled pores. This surface is cut to leave sharp pore edges and so has a higher coefficient of friction than the surface of the mould. The moulding may be carried out in stages, the flexibility of the countermould decreasing from stage to stage. In Fig. 2 (not shown), the web is fed to the moulding machine by a conveyer belt (2), and a feeler device (15) resting on the web between the conveyer and the moulding machine controls the speed of the latter, and so the tension of the web. Three rollers 4a, 5a and 6a press on to the mould roller 3a, the first two being countermould rollers as shown in Fig. 2, and the last having a smooth and solid surface to smooth and compact the upper surface of the moulded web. These three rollers are all driven by contact with the mould roller. The web is heated by a jet of steam just before the first moulding stage, and a lubricant, e.g. water containing dissolved resin, is sprayed on at this stage. A suction device removes excess water expelled by the moulds. The web leaves the moulding machine by another conveyer, which feeds it to a dryer free of tension by means of a deflector (17) which is caused to oscillate about an axis (18) by a cam (19). This lays the web in small waves on the conveyer belt of the dryer to compensate for shrinkage. In another embodiment (Fig. 1, not shown), the mould and countermoulds are all endless belts.